Yearnings
by JM Reverie
Summary: It's that love triangle built for 2. This fic uses the Hero 21 continum, however, it is not necessary to be familiar with H21 to enjoy.


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Inuyasha, Hero21 :: Yearnings

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Ch 1: The Incident  
By: JM Reverie

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Upon waking, I found my senses heightened. I could hear, I could see, and most of all, I could smell. Really smell. The air was so clean, yet stinky, and very familiar.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
I was confused. "Shouldn't I be in my bedroom?" I wondered. Did I even have a bedroom? Or, was that a dream inspired by my many trips to bring the wench back, here where… Where I needed her to be?  
  
A large, somewhat heavy-hearted part of me doubted that. No, as jealous as I had been last night, I was not the hanyou anymore. This had to be some type of weird, vivid dream, brought on by Kagome's no show at the movies. I had waited three long hours in front of the theater. Stupid, stupid… Stupid hanyou….  
  
"This is a dream. Isn't it?" The thought that it may not be scared me a bit.  
  
Shippo, that tiny, little whelp, was asleep next to me and... Not only did he snore, but also he farted, just my luck. It reeked. Still, I was actually happy to see him, even if he stunk, even if I was not supposed to be here. Part of it was nostalgic, part of it because I had liked Shippo, but it was also because that meant, if I was here… I could be with the woman I loved.  
  
Kagome would know me and love me for who I am, just as I wished for the night before. She hardly ever even looked at me when we did date. Why did she bother going out with me? I was not important to her. As hard as I tried to reconnect with her, it would just never seem to happen. The old Inuyasha had her attentions now, not me.  
  
Kagome was not here, but her good smell was still lingering from the night before.  
  
Was this a dream? It had to be. I mean… There is no going back. I know that.  
  
However, when I clenched my fists, my claws felt real. As I traced my tongue around inside my mouth, it touched fangs. And... I could also feel myself twitch my dog-daemon ears atop my head as I listened to the various sounds of the people in the village.  
  
She didn't sleep here last night. Her scent was strong, but I knew I still needed to reacquaint myself with my hanyou nose. If she were in Musashi's domain, I would have found Shippo sleeping next to her, instead, not me.  
  
"Hey, why not? I'll go with this, for now." I smiled, and felt the Tessaiga singing at my side.  
  
I was Lord Inuyasha, seeker of the Shikon No Tama again, dream or no dream. And, I was going to see my companion, The Lady Kagome, the woman I love, in her realm of the Time That Is to Come.

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Earlier today, Houjou sees me from across the schoolyard, his face lights up and he runs to come see me.  
  
When I saw him, I thought, "Oh, no. That poor guy. I can't go out with him... I think I'm in love with..."  
  
"Kagome! I'm so glad I found you!"  
  
"Houjou-kun?"  
  
I look at him and realize then that he's wearing glasses. Also, his hair was pretty much all mussed up, as if he'd never combed it that morning. And... "When were we ever on a first name basis?" I think to myself.  
  
"Kagome... You don't know who I am?" He looked anxious, and he reached up to push away a strand of hair from his face that was not there. He then leaned forward, and I was amazed by the way he seemed to be inhaling my scent, checking to see if I were real.  
  
"You're Houjou-kun, from class B."  
  
He shook his head, looking annoyed by what I said. "No, I'm not. Everyone here just thinks I am, whoever he is."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Kagome... It's me. Inuyasha."  
  
He was looking me dead straight in the eyes when he said that.  
  
"What??"  
  
"We have to go back to the village. I need to talk to Kaede-baba, now."  
  
He then grabs my hand, tugging me away from the schoolyard. His fingers... The way he held my hand, he did it gently like the real Inuyasha would--as if he were being careful to not slice my flesh with his claws. It's that moment when I think I forgot about breathing. I let him tug me without putting up a fuss.  
  
When we reach the gate, I exhale and begin to lead him in the direction of my family's shrine. I could not even begin to think of the situation's implications. My heart was racing.  
  
"You're scared. I smell it. Why?" There he was, in my face again.  
  
"I'm not scared. I'm--I'm just concerned. This is weird."  
  
"No shit."  
  
He didn't let go of my hand, but he turned away from me and we kept walking. It didn't take long to return home from school. Houjou-kun/Inuyasha kept the pace fast, almost to the point of running.   
  
Once we were there, he didn't need any help finding the old bone-eater's well. "Kagome. Stop. Something's strange." I looked up at him, studying his expression. Weird. Inuyasha inhabited Houjou-kun's body; I had no doubts then.  
  
He approaches the shrine, listening. I swear I could almost see his ears twitch. His nostrils were wide and he took slow, careful steps. I began to follow, but he held his hand up, signaling me to stop.  
  
I began to wish I had my bow and arrows as he disappeared, unarmed, into the shrine.

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Before I knew it, I was in Kagome's time. But... I was not alone, I realized, as I climbed the ladder that lead out of the well. Kagome was near by, but... There was also a... male?  
  
I prepared to spring out of the well and scare away this male if he were, indeed, a threat to Kagome.  
  
I listened... "Kagome. Stop. Something's strange," and I let out a soundless sigh of disappointment. I recognized that voice, that smell. I was already here, the me from before, in my own body, protecting... My Kagome.  
  
He entered the shrine, wearing my body, and shut the door.  
  
That's when I sprung, tackling him to the ground. I was angry, jealous, and disappointed. Even after we had switched places, I still was not meant to be with her. No, the old, arrogant, rude, Inuyasha who did not know his own heart would forever monopolize all her time and her beautiful heart. When the hell would it ever be my turn??  
  
My fist had actually been raised to punch him in the face, but as I stared at him--Koinu--me... I couldn't. I lost my nerve. It wasn't the old Inuyasha's fault. This was fate.  
  
Then, I felt this wave of nausea and exhaustion pass over me and... I passed out on top of him, never seeing... Kagome.

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I heard sounds of struggle from within, then silence.  
  
I knew full well that I could have been walking into a trap, but I, too entered the shrine unarmed.  
  
By the well, there were two familiar bodies, both passed out.  
  
"Which one is...?"  
  
At the sound of my voice, the hanyou stirred. "I'm ok, Kagome." He smiled. "I'm back in my own body, too."  
  
"How do I know you're really Inuyasha?"  
  
He crossed his arms and looked away. "You just should. How should I know?"  
  
I walked over to Houjou, and leaned down close to hear if he were breathing. He was. Then I stood up again. "I wonder what we should do about Houjou-kun?"  
  
"Not my problem, wench."  
  
I sat down next to Inuyasha. Normally, I would be annoyed, but this time I was actually a bit touched that he was, indeed, jealous, all because of me. "I'll wait a while. If he doesn't wake up, I try and call his parents." I let my head lean on his shoulder, as I stared at my unconscious classmate.  
  
All in all, it had been just a plain, out-and-out weird situation that we soon both nearly forgot. It was not until many years later that I learned the true significance of it all. And by then, it was just something my husband and I would laugh about.  
  



End file.
